South Knoll, Prison Industries and Southern Area

Principles

PRINCIPLE 164: The South Knoll should be retained and conserved as a key historical component of the convict-era planning and development of Fremantle Prison.

PRINCIPLE 165: The dominance of the modified landform at the south end of the Prison, and internal Prison views to the South Knoll and its terraces, should be maintained.

PRINCIPLE 166: The evolved utilitarian character and presentation of the South Knoll should be maintained.

PRINCIPLE 167: The terraced remains of Church Hill should generally remain in their existing topographical form. In any future treatment of, or works to, the Knoll the concept of terracing and, as far as possible, the actual terraces should be retained.

PRINCIPLE 168: No new buildings should be introduced to the terraces or upper level of the Knoll.

PRINCIPLE 169: The broader southern area including the site of Prison Industries, is a large area of utility which can continue to be used in this way, subject to such use not impacting on the South Knoll or the southern setting to the Main Cell Block.

PRINCIPLE 170: The current surfaces of the Knoll can be retained; but if replaced, the new surface treatments should draw on the palette of existing materials.

PRINCIPLE 171: The defined areas of the terraces, variously former garden beds, tennis court, cricket pitch and the like, have changed and evolved over time, and on that basis it is not necessary to retain the current specific delineations.

PRINCIPLE 172: As a place formerly used for growing vegetables, new plantings could be considered for the terraces, but they should be low scale and concentrated as per typical vegetable growing. Planting specimen trees or scattered shrubs would not be consistent with the historical character of the South Knoll terraces.

PRINCIPLE 173: Avoid the introduction of outdoor furniture items and the proliferation of new hard landscape elements.

PRINCIPLE 174: New lighting systems should be discretely located and of a consistent contemporary design. Such should also be set off from the perimeter walls and should not involve penetrations to the significant fabric.

PRINCIPLE 175: Any works in the area of the South Knoll should be preceded by an archaeological investigation and recording of any remains of the vegetable gardens.

PRINCIPLE 176: Any works in the area associated with the site of the early 1850s temporary barracks should be preceded by an archaeological investigation and recording of any remains.

PRINCIPLE 177: New services, where required, should preferably be located underground.

PRINCIPLE 178: The high wire fencing which defines the strip of land south of the Entry Complex and adjoining the west perimeter wall can be removed.

PRINCIPLE 179: New development could be considered for the area on the west side of the South Knoll, south of the Entry Complex and east of the perimeter wall. This was the site of temporary barracks during the construction of Fremantle Prison and the site of the long rectilinear north-south building shown in the 1965 and 1979 aerial images. A new building in this area should be contained in an envelope that does not exceed the eastern alignment of the West Workshops (north of the Entry Complex), does not exceed the height of the Prison west perimeter wall (so that it is not visible from the Terrace), and is set off from the inside face of the west perimeter wall to conserve an area of the sterile zone.

PRINCIPLE 180: New development should not be considered for the area south of the Main Cell Block, where the shower block and Prison Industries are located.

PRINCIPLE 181: Generally, any new buildings considered for the southern part of the Prison should be low scale and freestanding, following the pattern of previous development.

PRINCIPLE 182: Interpretation of the South Knoll is essential to conveying the history of its role in the Prison construction and development, and to highlighting and transmitting the OUV of the Prison.